Westminster Car Crash: Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Terror Offences

A man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after a car crashed outside the Houses of Parliament.

The vehicle swerved into cyclists and pedestrians shortly after 07:30 BST, injuring three people.

The suspect, in his late 20s, is not believed to be known to MI5 or counter-terrorism police, and is not co-operating with officers.

A woman is being treated in hospital for serious but non life-threatening injuries.

Scotland Yard’s head of counter terrorism Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said: “Given that this appears to be a deliberate act, the method and this being an iconic site, we are treating it as a terrorist incident.”

He added there was “no intelligence at this time of further danger” to London or the UK as a whole.

No-one else was in the car and no weapons have been found.

The government held a meeting of its Cobra emergency committee and the prime minister has paid tribute to the “formidable courage” and professionalism of the emergency services who “ran towards a dangerous situation in order to protect the public”.

Urging the public to remain vigilant but “carry on as normal”, Theresa May added: “For the second time in as many years the home of our democracy, which is a potent symbol of our precious values of tolerance and freedom, has witnessed terrible scenes just yards from its door.”

The suspect, who has not been formally identified, is being held at a south London police station and the vehicle is being searched.

BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford said sources have told him the suspect is from the Birmingham area.